IMANI Africa boss pokes Akufo-Addo over corruption fight
Government saddled with unresolved corruption cases
Franklin Cudjoe, founding President of IMANI Centre for Policy and Education, has poked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over the fight against political corruption.
He stated in a social media post that combatting political corruption rested on the will of any president to prosecute errant appointees.
Cudjoe pointed to 'evidence' that showed that two previous presidents had taken steps to prosecute their appointees unlike under the current president.
His post read: "The real test for fighting political corruption is in prosecuting your own. I recall Kufuor did with Mallam Issa. JM started with Abuga Pele and co.
"I only hear stories under Nana. Or the battle is still the Lord's?" his post concluded.
The government has been accused serially by the opposition and some members of civil society of paying lip service to the fight against corruption.
Ghana’s ranking has also tanked on the recent Corruption Perception Index. According to the 2021 edition of the annual corruption ranking chart by Transparency International, Ghana ranked 73rd out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perception Index, CPI, report released on April 4.
“Ghana’s current performance is still below 50 which is the expected average, thus leaves much to be desired,” the report noted.
Out of 49 African countries ranked, Ghana placed 9th with Senegal, each bagging a score of 43.
Some major corruption cases hanging around some appointees are as follows: Sputnik V deal – involving Health Minister Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, PPA Procurement Scandal – involving former PPA boss Agyenim Boateng Adjei, GHC800K website – involving then Minister of Special Development Initiative, Hawa Koomson.
Others are the Kelni GVG deal – involving the Ministry of Communications and the Kroll and Associates saga – involving former Senior Minister Yaw Osafo-Maafo and erstwhile Auditor-General, Daniel Dormelevo.
Franklin Cudjoe, Founding President of Imani Africa and President Akufo-Addo